22 years of service to numismatics
Volume 21 Number 6 ISSN: 0197-3088 Price .... Two Dollars
r ^
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FEATURES
An Introduction to Byzantine Coinage, No. 25,
by I. C. G. Campbell * 143
Derivation of the Bull & Horseman Coins of Muhammad Bin Sam,
First Sultan of Delhi, by Ken West 140
Medieval Coins Out of Africa, by Raymond J. Hebert 131
DEPARTMENTS
Book News -- 146
Book Reviews 148
Contents of the NI Reference Collection 130
Member Notice Page 152
INSIDE N. I .
Librarian's Report 127
Membership Chairman's Report -- 127
Raymond J. Hebert Appointed Book News & Reviews Editor 129
OTHER ITEMS
Aesculapius and Hygia 145
The Crowning of Zeno 145
Escudos, Reales and Eggs, by Herman Blanton 129
Illusive Proof Sets 139
"Laeti ti a Temporvm" 152
Medallion of Nero for Congiaria 139
Mintages for Israel Coin Sets Announced 129
"Theresienstadt Hanukka 151
■
Copyrighted by Numismatics International, P.O. Box 670013, Dallas, Texas USA 75367-0013
JUNE 1987
BOARD OF GOVERNORS
WM. B. THOMPSON
Chairman & Past President
C.C. ANDREWS ROBERT W. RICHTER
President Vice-President
214-357-1379
ROSS SCHRAEDER
Secretary
DON C. DOUGLAS
At-Large-Director
WILLIAM E. BENSON
MARVIN L. FRALEY
JACK E. LEWIS
JOHN E. VANDIGRIFF
CHARLES MUCHMORE
Treasurer
LEE GROSSMAN
At-Large-Director
KARYT. EDWARDS
PHILIP L. LAWRENCE
ELMORE B. SCOTT
CARL YOUNG
Past-Presidents
APPOINTED STAFF
Curator, Nl REFERENCE COLLECTION
Philip L. Lawrence
Curator, JOHN GRAVES MEMORIAL
PAPER MONEY COLLECTION
David Block
P. O. Box 12473
Gainesville, Florida 32602
Editor, Nl BULLETIN
Marvin L. Fraley, N.L.G.
2813 - 57th St.
Lubbock, Texas 79413
Phone - 806-795-7623
Article Editor, Nl BULLETIN
Fred Drost, N.L.G.
110 Ridgefield St.
Meriden, Connecticut 06450
Phone - 203-235-7565
Book News & Reviews Editor,
Nl BULLETIN
Raymond J. Hebert
6305 Windermere Circle
Rockville, MD 20852
Article Abstractor, Nl BULLETIN
Joseph Uphoff
La Jolla, California
Index Compiler, Nl BULLETIN
Dick Schubert
Denver, Colorado
Publicity Chairman
Stuart T. Eisen
Phone - 301-530-5400
Librarian, Nl BOOK LIBRARY
Granvyl G. Hulse, Jr.
30 Pleasant St.
Colebrook, N H. 03576
Librarian, Nl CATALOG SUB-LIBRARY
Donald H. Mead
323 N Estelle
Wichita, Kansas 67214
Librarian, Nl PERIODICAL LIBRARY
Jim Haley
P.O. Box 4057
St. Johnsbury, VT 05819
Mail Bid Sales
Carl Young
P. O. Box 1836
Dallas, Texas 75221
Nl Publications Chairman
Randolph Zander
N.I.C.E. General Chairman
Charles Muchmore, Jr.
P. O. Box 6094
Richardson, Texas 75080
Photographer, Nl BULLETIN
Dick Hanscom
P. O. Box 2832
Fairbanks, Alaska 99707
Moderator, N.l. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM
William F. Spengler
2032 Ridgeway
Colorado Springs, CO 80906
Correspondence should be directed to those persons and addresses above for depart-
ments indicated. All other correspondence should be mailed direct to NUMISMATICS
INTERNATIONAL, P. O. Box 670013, DALLAS, TX 75367-0013
MEMBERSHIP FEE: Individual & Club Membership - $15.00 Annually. Junior Member-
ship (18 years of age and under) - $10.00 Annually. Senior Membership (70 years of age and
over) - $10.00 Annually.
126
INSIDE N.l.
MEMBERSHIP CHAIRMAN'S REPORT
June, 1987 Applications for Membership: The following persons have
applied for membership. If no written objections are received by Aug-
ust 1, 1987, their membership will be come effective on that date.
2228- MT William M. Pywar, 191 N. 4th St., Lindenhurst, N.Y. 11757
(Mexican SUD State & Federal Coppers, Revolutionary
Issue & Post Colonial South American Coinage)
2229- MT SSGT Thomas G. Engel, H & MS-12, P.C., FPO San Francisco 96603
(Japanese & Philippine Numismatics)
2230- MT Phillip Layton, 208 South Elm, Pauls Valley, Okla, 73075
(General Interest in All Silver & Gold World Coins)
2231- MT Andrew L. Tuttle, 211 East High St., Defiance, Ohio 43512
(Russian, Ancient Roman & Syrian, Silver Dollar Size
Talers, Indian Ceylon)
★ ★★★★
LIBRARIAN'S REPORT
I. Acknowledgement is made below to those who have donated material
to the NI Library:
Dundar Acikalin
KA20.VarT :1984:TMP
VARIS , TUNCA
60. Yilinda eumhuriyet dcnemi. Turk madeni paralari.
(On modern Turkish coins. Some English in the text.)
Pub. 1984, 80pp, illus.
I. C. G. Campbell
KA20. VarT : 1 984 : TMP
VARIS, TUNCA
60. Yilinda oumhuriyet donemi. Turk madeni paralari,
(On modern Turkish Coins. Some English in the text.)
Pub. 1984, 80pp , illus,
J, P. Hart'og
BB97. NewE : 1 923 : TR
NEWELL, EDWARD T.
Tyrus Bediviva.
Pub. 1923, 23pp, w/plates.
RB50 . BMFA : 1 963 : RM
BOSTON MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS
Roman Medallions.
Pub. 1963, 5pp, w/10 plates. (Forward by Cornelius C. Vermeule III)
127
E. P. Lukert
UB30.MiDM:1970;BETN
MILLER, D. M.
Bank of England and Treasury Notes , 1694-1970.
Pub. 1970, 49pp, illus.
UB30 . YouD: 1 972 :GCI
YOUNG, DEREK
Guide to the Currency of Ireland.
Pub. 1972, 88pp, illus.
UB40.BouP: 1 9 75 : FA
BOURG, P. /HANOT, A.
French Assignats.
Pub. 1975, 34pp, illus.
Michael Mitchiner
RA80 .Mi tM : 1 986 : MPSB
MITCHINER, MICHAEL
Medieval Pilgrim & Secular Badges.
Pub. 1986, 288pp, illus.
Thomas A. Schillinqer
JG30.MuFr:1982:GC
MUNZK0NT0N FRANKFURT (SPREITZER, HERBERT)
German coinage. Auktion # 25 ,
Pub. 1982. An auction catalogue but has such an excellent cover-
age of German States that it is retained as a reference.
464pp, illus.
Randolph Zander
JM60.ZanR:1986:NSPRM
ZANDER, RANDOLPH
Notes on standards and practices at the Russian Mint.
An offprint from "Numismatics - witness to history". A series of
articles published by members of IAPN.
Pub. 1986, 8pp, w/plate.
II. In addition to the above we would also like to thank members J.
P. Hartog and Thomas Hi gel for their donation of additional numis-
matic materia; plus Mr. Thomas A. Schillinger who, though not a
member, has also provided the Library with a number of very fine
European catalogues.
III. I would again like to remind the members that we are still in
need of a Greek translator. If there is anyone who could assist the
Library in translating some titles and giving a brief idea of what
the contents of several books are about, we would appreciate the help.
Granvyl G. Hulse, Jr.
NI Book Librarian
******
128
RAYMOND J. HUBERT APPOINTED BOOK NEWS & REVIEWS EDITOR
As announced in the March, 1987 issue, we regretfully accepted the
resignation of our Book News & Reviews Editor, David A. Coia.
It is with pleasure we announce the appointment of Raymond J. Hubert
to succeed David. Ray has been a frequent contributor of feature
articles in the NI BULLETIN (see his excellent article "Medieval
Coins Out of Africa" in this issue). His occupation is Museum Spec-
ialist for the National Numismatic Collections in the National Museum
of American History, a part of the Smithsonian Institution in Washing-
ton, D.C.
All members sending news on books and reviews should send them direct
to Ray, his address is on the inside front cover of this issue, as he
is ready to go to work for you and NI immediately.
It is a pleasure to welcome Ray to the NI team of editors and in de-
parting, we wish our former editor, David Coia, the best in his en-
deavors in Japan.
********★***★***★*★**★*★★************★★★**★★**★★*******★*******★*****
MINTAGES FOR ISRAEL COIN SETS ANNOUNCED
The Government of Israel, through the Bank of Israel, announced the
final mintages for several recent Coinages sets.
The "Official Proof Mint Set 1980 (Bank of Israel - 25 years) -- 31,348
Official Uncirculated Coin Set 5743 (1983) -- 17,478
Official Uncirculated Coin Set 5744 (1984) -- 13,403
Official Uncirculated Coin Set 5745 (1985) -- 15,224
Piefort Mintset 5745 (1985) - 14,768
The also announced the final mintages of 26 State Medals. Any member
who wishes to know those mintages write your local Israel Government
Coin & Medals Corp. office. Or write to the Head Office -- ISRAEL
GOVERNMENT COINS » MEDALS CORPORATION, 5 Ahad Ha' am Street, P.0. Box
2270 — 91022 JERUSALEM, ISRAEL.
The also inform us that they have reoorts of "very few silver proof
"Hanukkiya from Aloeria" Coins may show a slight unevenness on the
edae. Any (IGC&MCorp) subscriber owning such a coin may return it
to our Corporation for replacement" - that is the Israeli Gov't Coins
and Medals Corp. office.
ESCUDOS, REALES and EGGS
Berman Blanton, London, OHIO, USA, NI 2121
In early nineteenth century Venezuela, the provinces of Cumana and
Caracas had no cooper coins circulating. The smallest coin circu-
lating was the silver 1/2 real. Several eggs were often aiven as
small change, the value of a dozen eggs being equal to a half real.
129
CONTENTS OF THE NI REFERENCE COLLECTION
(Members desiring to borrow coins from the collection for research pur-
poses, lecture use, non-competitive displays, or any other reasons, may
do so by paying postage and insurance both directions.)
Key to Listing: FINE or better for all Yeoman types. VERY GOOD or
better for all Craig types. Underlined = Uncirculated. C = Complete.
£ = Complete with at least one uncirculated type. CX ( ) = Com-
plete except those listed. X = Except. Mints are not listed unless
multiple for the particular year.
GREAT BRITAIN (Continued from last month): Y18.1 - 1863 w/o die no.,
1865, 1872; Y18.4 - 1882 H flat, 1800, 1891 , 1893: Y20 - 1887; Y21 -
1889; Y22 - 1888; Y26 - 1887; Y32 - CX (1897 bronze); Y33 - 1897,
1899, 1900, 1901; Y34.1 - C; Y34.2 - CX (1895 all, 1896 milled, 1897
dot, 1897 high sea, 1899 close & wide milled); Y35 - 1899, 1901; Y37 -
1899; Y38 - 1899; Y46 - C; Y47 - CX (1902 low horizon, 1904, 1909);
Y48 - CX (1902 low horizon, 1904, 1808; Y49 - 1902, 1908, 1909, 1910;
Y50 - 1902, 1907, 1808, 1909; Y60 - C; Y61 - 1911, 1916, 1917, 1919,
1920, 1921, 1925 obv. of 1924, 1927; Y62 - CX (1932, 1933); Y63 - CX
(1911, 1918H ,KN, 1919H.KN, 1922 rev. of 1927, 1926 modified head);
Y64 - CX (1933); Y65 - C; Y54a - CX (1920, 1926 modified effigy);
Y66 - 1911, 1916, 1918, 1919, 1920; Y66a - 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924;
Y67 - CX (1912, 1914, 1915, 1919); Y67a - 1926; Y68 - 1913, 1917,
1918; Y69 - 1918; Y70 - CX (1927); Y71 - 1928, 1935; Y72 - CX (1927,
1930, 1931); Y73 - 1928, 1931, 1935; Y74 - 1929, 1931, 1933, 1936;
Y78 - 1925; Y82 - C; Y83 - C; Y84 - C; Y85 - C; Y86 - C; Y87 - C;
Y88 - C; Y89 - CX (1940); Y90 - CX (1938, 1940); Y91 - CX (1938);
Y95 - C; Y96 - C; Y97 - C; Y98 - C; Y99 - C; Y104 - C; Y105 - C;
Y 1 06 - CX (1950); Y107 - C; Y108 - C; Y109 - C; Y110 - C; Ylll - C;
Y112 - CX (1952); Y114 - C; Y116 - C; Y117 - C; Y118 - C; Y119 - C;
Y 1 20 - C; Y 1 22 - C; Y123 - C; Y124 - C; Y127 - C; Y128 - CX (1970);
YA128 - CX (1954, 1970); Y129 - CX (1970); Y130 - CX (1970"); Y131 -
CX (1964, 1970); Y132 - CX (1959, 1961, 1964, 1966, 1970); Y133 -
CX (1970); Y 1 34 - CX (1970); Y136 - C; Y138 - C; Y139 - 1971, 1973,
1974, 1975; Y140 - C to 1980; Y141 - C to 1980 X (1972, 1976, 1977,
1979); Y 1 42 - 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1975, 1979, 1980; Y143 - 1968,
1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1980; Y144 - 1969, 1976, 1980;
Y146 - C; YT1 - 1911B, 1912B.
GREECE: Y1 - 1869; Y3 - 1869; Y4 - 1869; Y6a - C; Y13 - 1882; Y16 -
CTY17 - C; Y 1 8 - CX (1893); Y19 - C; Y20 - C; Y21 - C; Y31 - C;
Y32 - C; Y33 - C; Y34 - C; Y35 - 1930L; Y38 - 1954; Y39 - CX (1971);
Y40 - CX - (1965, 1969, 1971 ); Y41 - CX (1957, 1962 plain, 1965);
Y42 - CX (1965); Y43 - CX (1959, 1965J; Y44 - CX (1965); Y45 - CX
(1965); Y46 - C; Y47 - C; Y48 - 1964B; Y49 - C; Y50 - C; Y51 - C;
Y52 - C; Y53 - C; Y58 - C; Y59 -'TTT60 - C; Y61 - 2971; Y64 - C;
Y65 - C; Y66 - C; Y67 - C; Y68 - C; Y69 - C; Y70 - C; Y74 - 1976;
Y75 - 1976, 1978, 1982; Y76 - 1976, 1978, 1980; Y77 - 1976, 1978;
Y78 - 1976, 1978, 1982.
GREECE - CRETE: Yl.l - 1 901 A ; Y7 - C.
GREECE - IONIAN ISLANDS: C21 - 1819: C24 - 1934, 1849 dot, 1851, 1857
dot.
GREENLAND: Y5 - C; Y7 - C; Y8 - C; Y9 - C; Y10 - C; YlOa - 1960.
130
MEDIEVAL COINS OUT
OF AFRICA
Raymond J. Hebert, Washington, DC., USA
Madaka ya nyamba za zisahani / Sasa walaliye wana wa nyuni . . .
Where once the porcelain stood in the wall niches /
Now the wild birds nestle their fledglings ...
-- Saiyid Abdallah, Utendi wa Inkishafi. (about 1815).
That there had been contacts from earliest times with Europe and the
East we know from artifacts that have been found up and down the East
African coast. These artifacts have included coins: Hellenistic
pieces of the 3rd to the 1st centuries BC; 1st and 2nd century AD
Parthian coins; 3rd century AD Sassanid coins. Imperial Roman and
Byzantine coins, pieces from Arab states and the Ottoman Empire,
many pieces from China, some from Ceylon :now Sri Lankan, Annam, and
southern India, and thousands from local African mints. It is with
this last-named group that we are concerned.
This paper deals with a group of crude copper coins -- fifty coins
EAST AFRICA (from V. Gillon)
from Mogadishu -- obtained
by a U.S. government official
posted to Somalia from 1957-
1960 (who had obtained them
from an old Italian resident).
The official wrote that "Most
of the coins were gathered
from the dunes which now
cover the sites of very old
city-states," and that he
"used to go coinhuntino on
these dunes and find an oc-
casional one, covered and un-
covered by the winds on these
shifting sands." On his re-
turn he donated the pieces
pieces to the Museum of Afri-
can Art because " the old Chi-
nese and the Arabs knew
Somalia since the very early
days and the Arabs had settle-
ments there in the seventh
century ... they should be of
interest to bring out the
fact that Africa was not popu-
lated exclusively by black
Africans and these early Arab
traders, like the Chinese,
were busy, exporting incense,
ivory, and black slaves to
the East, long before the
African slave trade focused
on the Americas."
131
In time the coins were transferred from the Museum of African Art to
the National Numismatic Collection where they now repose. There are
50 pieces altogether, of quite crude fabric, and it is only by com-
paring a large number of pieces that one is able to get a more or less
complete reading of the legends. Cf the 50 coins, there are six types
as follows:-
I. 4 pieces (0.284 gm. , 0.289 gm., 0.338 gm. , 0.381 gm.) with an
averaoe weight of 0.323 orams. For this tyoe, comnare Freeman-
Grenville, NC, 1963, 185, 3. This sultan of Mogadishu, dated?
14th century.
Obverse
Reverse
UU^J
YUSIJF
AL-MUCTAMI$>
Yusuf
who relies
IBN SACID
•uit J*
CALI ALLAH
son of Sa'ld
upon God
I. Photos of Obverse (left) and Reverse (right) of Type I.
II. 8 pieces (0.359 gms., 0.368 gms . , 0.543 gms., 0.557 gms . , 0.607
gms., 0.610 gms., 0.643 gms., 0.733 gms.) with an average weight
of 0.511 grams. For this type, compare Mitchiner, The World of
Islam 3 226, 1411-1412, who dates them after AD 1388 from Mooadishu.
oUJ-J'
AL-CADIL
AL-ZAFAR
?»
the Just
the conqueror
MUHAMMAD
•
BITAYID
Muhammad
by the help of^fl^
AL- SULTAN
• *
AL-RAHMAN
•
oUjjf
*
the sultan
the all-merciful
(photos of Type II 3 next page)
132
II. Photos of Obv. (top) & Rev. (bottom)
from Sultanate of Mogadishu (Mitchiner bk. )
III. 8 pieces (0.482 gm., 0.487 cm., 0.499 am., 0.502 cm., 0.562 am.,
0.632 am., 0.656 am., 0.663 am.) with an average weight of
0.560 grams. For the tyne, compare Freeman-Grenvi 1 le , NC 1963,
190, 11. Mitchiner lists him as Sultan of Mogadishu, 15/ 16th
century .
UdUl
al-sultAn
AL-MUSTAOFI
the sultan
who follows
Ml
ZUBAIR IBN
-U/l,
BILLAH
Zubayr son of
in Hod
CUMAR
At-AVBAR
Umar
the greatest
133
III. Photos of Obv. (top) & Rev. (bottom) of
Sultans of Mogadishu (Mitchiner , pg. 225.
IV. 9 pieces (0.207 gm. , 0.319 gm. , 0.323 gm., 0.324 gm. (broken),
0.341 gm. , 0.351 gm. , 0.405 gm., 0.471 gm. , 0.510 am.) with an
average weight of 0.351 grams. For the type compare Freeman-
Grenville, NC 1963, 186, 4, who dates them after AD 1388 and
of Mogadishu.
More recently -- Mitchiner -- These apnear *o be from Mogadishu:
(1) Coinage style, (2) Mitchiner lists no Muhammad ruling Kilwa.
O
IkJUl
•jr** y.
AL- SUL JAN
the sultan
MUHAMMAD
Muhammad
JUb
./"i
CAZZA NASRUHU
may his victory be prosperous [
AL-MUJAHID
who wages war
FAQ A ZIKRUHU
may his memory be sunrenr
134
IV. Photos of Obv. (top) & Rev. (bottom) Type TV.
V. 11 pieces { 0.438 gm, , 0,483 gm. , 0.537 gm, , 0.569 gm. , C.585 gm.,
0.588 gm., 0.664 gm., 0.706 gm. , 0.710 gm. , 0.836 gm. , 0.955 gm.)
with an average weight of 0.642 grams. For type compare Freeman-
Grenville, NC 1963, 190, 12. These pieces of the Sultanate of
Mogadishu date to 15/ 16th century.
OllaJLJI
AT, -SULTAN
•
JtATi. 1 1
AL-MUQTADIR
the sultan
who Is powerful
Of i>
CALI I BN
Afllj
BILLAH
All son of
in God
wJu* yi
YUSUF
AL-AKBAR
Yusuf
the greatest
(Type
V Photos next page)
135
Coin at top
left has now
been attri-
buted to be
a TYPE IV
COIN.
Obverse #5
Revers e
V. Photos of Obv. (top) & Rev. (bottom)
of Type V Coins.
VI. 10 pieces (0.202 gm. , 0.207 am., 0.257 gm. (all broken),
0.258 cm., 0.314 gm., 0.337 gm. , 0.352 gm. , 0.357 gm. (broken),
0.390 gm.) with an average weight of 0.292 grams. For type
compare Freeman-Grenvi 1 1 e , NC 1963, 191 , 13. These pieces of
the Sultanate of Mogadishu date to the 16th century.
Uil II
AL-SULTA/
0
UJ1
•
AL-tfUJ*/
the sulta-
that wages
•• •
NIA
HipiA
na t_e
holy war
136
Mogadishu coins
(Obverse, left)
!i!imiiii(*ii*«f »*•$«« *#**»»*
Reverse #6 .
VI. Photos of both sides of Type VI.
m
To the fifty nieces , described above, I would like to add one more from
i y own collection, a piece I acquired from a British dealer who showed
ie a larqe hoard of mainly Darfur billon pieces of al-Fasher mint (see
Krause/Mi shier 10th edition #1). Included were several counterstruck
pieces plus this one piece illustrated below, as #7.
At right,
a coin of
KILWA of
1320
I have not succeeded in reading completely and to my satisfaction the
legends. However, I believe it was issued in the name of a 1 -Hasan
ibn Sulaiman, circa AD 1320, at Kilwa. For a similar piece, see
Mitchiner, World of Islam, 225, 1407. According to Crawford, these
are "fairly common". A tentative reading is as follow's (on next page)
137
ir**
AL-HASAN
•
AL-MUTAMIh
al-Hasan
who relies
oM- ^
IBN SULATMAN
Ain y
CALA ALLAH
ibn Sulairaan
upon God
4JB1 J*l
ACLA ALLAH
oUJi
AL-HANNAN
may God exalt (him) I
the bountiful
The piece weighs 1.632 grams.
Freeman-Grenvi 1 le remains the acknowledged expert for these series.
But there still remain a number of unanswered questions.
In time, as more and more such pieces are found in situ, and as con-
temporary documents emerge from attics, chests and drawers, it will
be possible to make some sense of the puzzling king-lists we now have
and to assign each ruler to a definite time- and space-frame. Such
coins may also help to clear up misconceptions that now exist concer-
ning the so-called "Dark Continent".
For the reader who wishes to read further on the numismatics and me-
dieval history of this area, the following bibliography may be of some
use.
CHITTICK, H, H, , "The 'Shirazi' Colonization of East Africa", J. Afr%
Hist. 6 (1965), pp. 275-294,
CRAWFORD, J. R. , "The Medieval Coinage of East Africa", Seaby's Coin
and Medal Bulletin, No, 600 (Aug. 1968), pp. 277-281.
FREEMAN-GRENVILLE, G, S. P. , "Coins from Mogadishu, c, 1300 to c. 1700",
Hum, Chron., 7th ser. , 3 (1963), pp. 179-200.
"Coin Finds and Their Significance for Eastern African
Chronology", Hum. Chron., Series 7, Vol . 11 (1971), pp. 283-301.
Illustrations.
"Historiography of the East African Coast", Tanganyika
Hotes and Records 55 (1960), pp. 279-289.
------- — , "Some Problems of East African Coinage: from Early Times
to 1890", Tanganyika Hot4s and Records 53 (1959), pp. 250-260 (?).
— The Medieval History of the Coast of Tanganyika , With
Special reference to recent Archaeological discoveries, London.
Oxford University Press 1962. 238pp, ill us, charts.
— "The Times of Ignorance; A Review of Pro-Islamic and
Early Islamic Settlement on the East African Coast", Discovering
Africa's Hast, 1959, pp, 4-17.
HARRIES, L., "The Arabs and Swahili Culture", Africa (1964), pp, 224-9,
KIRMAN, J. "The Early History of the Spread of Islam in the Western
Indian Ocean", AARP (Art and Archaeology Research Papers) 9, (1976),
pp. 5-12.
138
LABIB, S., "Islamic Expansion and Slave Trade in Medieval Africa",
Mouvements de population dans llOcean Indienf Paris, 1979, p.33,
LEWICKI, I,, "L'exploitation et le commerce de 1 1 or en Afrique de
I'Est et en celle du Sud-Est au Moyen Age d'apr^s le sources arabes"
Folia or. 18 (1977), pp, 167-186,
MARTIN, B. G., "Arab Migrations to East Africa in Medieval Times", Int%
J. Afr. hist . stud. 7 (1974), pp, 367-390.
MITCHELL, HELEN W, "Fakhy al -Dunya and Nasir al -Dunya: Notes on Two
East African Topics". Num. Chron. Ser, 7 Vol . 10 (1970), pp. 253-
257, ill us.
POUWELS, R. L., "The Medieval Foundations of East African Islam", Jnt,
J. Afr. hist. stud. 11 (1978), pp. 201-226, 393-409.
"Tenth Century Settlement of the East African Coast: the
Case for Qarmati an/Isma ' i 1 i Connections", Azania 9 (1974), pp. 65-74.
We are happy to acknowledge the fine photographic work of Charles Rand
of the National Numismatic Collection staff. Smithsonian Institution ,
Washington , D. C.
**********************************************************************
MEDALLION OF NERO FOR CONGIARIA
The Emperor Nero often ingratiated
himself with the common people of
Rome by the profuse liberality of
his largesses to them. The fact is
shown on many of the coins struck
under Nero, bearing the legend of
"C0NGIAR" , "C0NGIARIVM" or "ANN0NA
AVGVSTI CERES". However, Suetonius
recorded that once during a general
scarcity of corn at Rome, and Alex-
andrine ship brough a load, not of
grain for the suffering inhabitants
of Rome as usual , but of dust for
the Court wrestlers.
The bronze medallion illustrated here was struck for the Emperor Nero
to show his generosities. The medallion shows Ceres veiled and seated
with corn ears in her right hand and a torch in her left. Opposite
to her stands the Goddess of Plenty (Annona) holding a cornucopiae
in her left hand. Between the two is an altar, or cippus, on which
stands the modi us. In the background is a ship's prow.
(Submitted by R. R. Kutcher)
**********************************************************************
-ILLUSIVE PROOF SETS; The Republic of
dated 1982 (5 coins)
Sets to dignitaries
Korea reportedly issued just
sets" dated 1982 (5 coins) and not issued for sale. They
are Presentation Sets to dignitaries. Such Presentation Sets have
also been reported dated 1983 and 1984. Perhaps a random set or two
will end up in the hands of a lucky collector some day.
139
DERIVATION Of THF. BULL. & HORSEMAN COINS OF
MUHAMMAD BIN SAM, FIRST SULTAN OF DELHI
BY: Ken West
GHIYATH-UD-DIN MUHAMMAD GHORI TOOK GHAZNI FROM THE 6HUZZ AND DELEGATED
HIS BROTHER. SHIHAB-UD-DIN MUHAMMAD GHORI (MUHAMMAD BIN SAM) TO RULE IT
FOR HIM IN 1 173. THE TWO GHORI BROTHERS PROCEDED TO EXTEND THEIR TERRITORY
SOUTHEAST. NORTH AND WEST. MUHAMMAD BIN SAM OPERATED SOUTHWARDS INTO
WHAT IS NOW THE PUNJAB AND INDIA PROPER; BRINGING HIS ARMIES TO THE
ASSISTANCE OF HIS BROTHER WHENEVER REQUIRED FOR MAJOR (USUALLY FUTILE)
ATTEMPTS TO CONQUER TERRITORY OF THE KHWARIZM SHAH.
MUHAMMAD BIN SAM DESTROYED THE REMNANTS OF THE GHAZNAVID DYNASTY
ESTABLISHED BY SABUK-TIGIN IN 977. HE OPENED THE DOOR TO THE CONQUEST OF
NORTHERN INDIA BY HIS LIEUTENANTS (OR SLAVES) BY THE DEFEAT OF A RAJPUT
CONFEDERATION AT TARAIN IN 1192.
FOLLOWING THE PRECEDENT OF PREVIOUS CONQUERORS OF THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF
INDIA. THE COINS ISSUED IN THE CONQUERED AREAS BY MUHAMMAD BIN SAM WERE.
GENERALLY. THE SAME FABRIC AND TYPE AS THOSE OF THE PREVIOUS RULERS - WITH
THE NAMES. TITLES AND EPITHETS CHANGED TO THOSE OF THE GHORIS.
PRITHVI RAJA OF AJMER WAS DEFEATED AT TARAIN IN 1192 AND HIS TERRITORY
SUBJUGATED BY QUTB-UD -DIN AIBAK, FOR MUHAMMAD BIN SAM, THE SAME YEAR.
COIN OF PRITHVI RAJA, RULER OF AJMER
SRi PRiTHVi
T g I
RaJa DeVifi
•fl Ji K <3
A SaWaRI SRi
5 fl 7 * 4|
SaMaNTa OeVa
fl fl % T]
THIS RARE MULE - OWNED BY THE BRITISH MUSEUM - WAS PROBABLY ISSUED AT
AJMER AFTER ITS CONQUEST IN 1192 BY QUTB-UD-DIN AIBAK.
SRi PRiTHVi
m tt si
Ro Ja DeV a
Fl ?i R ^
THF FOLLOWING COIN IS VERY SIMILAR TO THOSE ISSUED BY PRITHVI RAJA BEFORE THF
CONQUEST OF HIS TERRITORY OF AJMF.R.
'if#-
Lord Amir
SRi Halil RaH
4ti & i g
Hun in
SR i fl aha ilia
(&&•-- HI *)
Hellion 3 '3
1 3..'/ 5 Grams
Average of
7.7. 3 47 Grams
140
COIN OF AMR IT ARAL A OF BADAUN
SRi AMRaTa
Silver, 2.93 Grams
PaLa
** KM
Ma
fl
Silver, 3.02 Grams
THIS COIN OF MUHAMMAD BIN SAM IS SO SIMILAR TO THOSE OF AMR IT ARAL A THAT I
OWNED SEVERAL BEFORE I REALIZED THAT THEY WERE NOT AMRITAP ALA'S. THE COINS
ARE GENERALLY OF POROUS SILVER. THE COINS SHOWN BELOW ARE COMPOSITES OF
SEVERAL COINS TO SHOW MORE OF THE DESIGN THAN IS NORMALLY FOUND ON A SINGLE
SRi MaHaMaD
an
' M
61
If
Reverse A
3.26-3.39 Grams - Silver
3.47 Grams - Copper
Reverse B 3.23-3.24 Grams*
BY THE TIME OF KHUSRAU MALIK'S SUCCESSION, THE DYNASTY FOUNDED BY SABUK-
TIGIN AT GHAZNI HAD LOST GHAZNI TO THE GHORIS. KHUSRAU WAS THE LAST
REIGNING MONARCH OF THE DYNASTY WITH HIS SEAT AT LAHORE. HE SURRENDERED
TO MUHAMMAD BIN SAM IN 1 186 AND WAS PUT TO DEATH IN GHARJISTAN IN 1 197.
KHUSRAU
w
MALIK
. on* jlhfiiil
hJLfl
ntijjj
COPPER, 2.9 - 3.3 GRAMS '
J I Mi.,1 | AL SULTAN
□jUcXI AL AZIM
ZT I liLl SHIR A J
OJ )JJIJ AD DAULA
J ILLuJ I A1 SULTAN
niucXi AL AZIM
aj/JJIZ AJ AD DAULA
n I j jjj KHUSRAU MALIK
COPPER, 3.3 GROMS
fffl SR i So Ma NTa
ROIL
141
ON THE DEATH OF HIS BROTHER IN 1202. MUHAMMAD BIN SAM BECAME SULTAN. HE
TOOK THE EPITHET MU'IZZ-UD-DIN. THE TWO COINS BELOW SEEM TO COMBINE OBVERSE
AND REVERSE DESIGNS OF KHUSRAU MALIK'S COINS. THEY WERE PROBABLY ISSUED
FOR THE MULTAN/LAHORE AREA.
tlAUZ
COPPER, 2.95 GRAMS
SRi
Sa Ma
THE COIN BELOV IS GENERALLY ATTRIBUTED TO MUHAMMAD BIN SAM. I'M NOT SURE
OF THE REASON!
Jll
•A t
THE TWO COINS BELOW SHOW A COMBINATION OF THE AJMER/DELHI DESIGN WITH THE
GHAZNI DESIGN.
Sri HaMaRaH
4 S
xdLiuLii
mV?
A1 Sultan .IkUll
A1 Azim nhr x I
Muhammad bin SAm
hnf -b-*13
iU-iLuj
, nXitrX
VARIATIONS IN STYLE OF THE AJMER/DELHI TYPE
SRi MaHaMaD
91 fl 5 Ml
So M
THE FOLLOWING IS NOT A BULL & HORSEMAN COIN!
wwiw
jihAusi
ti&cx
ilU.JI
flh.i: Y I
LuyjjP
THE SULTAN
THE GREAT
nUHAIHIAD BIN SAM
Copper., 3.4 Grams
HISTORY FROM: TABAKA T-i-HA SIR/, TRANS.; MAJOR H.G. RAVF.RTY. ORIENTAL BOOK
REPRINT CORPORATION. NEW DELHI. 1970
142
AN INTRODUCTION TO BYZANTINE COINAGE
I. C. G. Campbell , Lincoln, Nebraska, NI #LM-12
No. 25 - NICEPHORUS I (802-811)
Nicephorus, Logothete of the Treasury, is an example of a civilian,
rather than a military man, who rose to be emperor after the palace
revolution which replaced the infamous Irene. He was reputedly the
son or descendant of an Arab Christian prince and born in Pisidia.
He seems to have been a most capable man but the Church hated him be-
cause he had replaced Irene and he was sympathetic to Iconoclasm.
His first efforts were to reform, particularly the finances of the
empire. He associated his son Stauracius as Augustus in 803 and de-
feated a rebellion led by one of his generals. He repudiated the
treaty with the Arabs and, though he had to conclude a similar one
after the death of Harun al Rashit a year or two afterwards, he minim-
ized the Eastern danger. He did restore Byzantine rule in the Pelo-
ponnesus, defeating the Slavs, but in the meantime the Bui gars, under
Krum, a ruthless and able man, were extending their frontiers again.
At first Nicephorus defeated Krum and destroyed his capital, PI i ska .
Unwisely the former pursued Krum into the mountains where the army
was ambushed and the emperor killed. (If I remember rightly, Krum
used his skull for a drinking cup.)
Stauracius , wounded , made it back to Constantinople but abdicated to
his brother-in-law Michael. He retired to a monastery and died soon
afterwards. No coins are known for his sole reign of two months.
The Coinage
Bronze and gold coinage was struck at Constantinople, Syracuse and,
perhaps, at Naples. No silver is known. The more common coins (less
uncommon?) have a bust on either side. The most interesting fact is
the reintroduction of the semissis and the tremissis, no doubt a part
of the reforms of Nicephorus and his realization of the need for small-
er change.
Coins
GOLD: Two types of solidi are known for Constantinople.
a) Nicephorus alone on the obverse with the legend mci
FOROSbASiie (variants) while on the reverse is the Cross
Potens with its usual legend.
b) A bust of Stauracius on the reverse and the legend stavka
143
CIS"0€SPO . The use of the word "Despot" instead of King
for Stauracius, as is used for his father on the obverse,
is noteworthy
The tremissis is extremely rare and has the Cross Potens on
the reverse as does a) above.
SYRACUSE : The extremely rare solidus has a ruleroneach side,
the legend for the reverse reading: SpAVRACi (bZSS).
The semissis is not uncommon and has a bust of the
ruler on each side. The legends are: bJCFOROS on the obverse
and (STATIR) or stahraCI on the reverse.
The extremely rare tremissis is similar to the
semissis but the legends are shorter and on the reverse there
is no globus beneath the Cross Potens. The akakia may be
omitted on either side.
NAPLES : A debased solidus with blundered legends is known
from Italy. It has an imperial bust on either side. The
obverse legend is Aic [F ?]0R.08PAne or variants and the reverse
legend is ctAvra ci20£SP0 or variants.
BRONZE: Two types of foil is are known from Constantinople and both
are tolerably common. Each has a similar reverse, a large
M between X/X/X and N/N/N with A beneath.
Type a.
a) Has the bust of Nicephorus and the legend blClFOR bAS' •
b) Has no legend and facing busts of Nicephorus and Staur-
acius, a cross between their heads.
SYRACUSE: There are three
a) Has a bust of Nicephor
to left above head and
types of foil is.
Type b.
s on each side. The letters N
I/K/H to right.
144
b) The obverse as a) but the referse has a bust of Staur-
acius with (to the left) C and to the right T/A/V.
Stauracius is beardless and wears the chlamys.
c) On this Nicephorus wears the chlamys instead of the
loros. To the left if N and to the right A/t/G.
The reverse, with Stauracius, has only C/T/A/
All three types are tolerably common.
**********************************************************************
AESCULAPIUS AND HYGIA
his daughter Hygia, clothed in a
which she is sacrificing. Behin
In Greek Mythology, Aesculapius Me-
dicus had a daughter called "Hygia",
from which we get the word "hygiene"
as she was the goddess of health.
The Romans called Hygia "Sal vs",
from which we get the word "salve".
A brass medallion of Antoni us Pius
exhibits on its reverse Aesculapius
seated on a throne with a dog at his
feet. In his left hand he holds a
staff, around which is coiled a
serpent, while in his right hand is
a patera (a small shallow dish used
for libations). To his right is
stola, standing near an altar, over
the goddess is a tree on a small
hill .
Both the Greeks and the Romans erected temples to the united honor of
the father and daughter, Aesculapius and Hygia.
(Submitted by R. R. Kutcher)
*********★*****•*■*••*•*■*■*■*★********■*■***■*••*■■*■■*■****★*■*•************************
THE CROWNING OF ZENO
Germanicus Caesar, the son of Drusus
senior and Antonia junior was adopt-
ed by Tiberius, at the instance of
Augustus in A.D. 4. Fourteen years
later he was sent into the East
where he reduced Cappadocia and
Commagene to the status of a Roman
province. Also at that time he
crowned Zeno, son of Polemon, King
of Pontus, which is recorded on the reverse of a denarius of Germanicus
The reverse shows the crowning with the inscription "GERMANIC ARTAXIAS"
The name Artaxis was given to Zeno from Artaxata, the capital of Ar-
menia. The coins is very significant historical ly .
(Submitted by R. R. Kutcher)
145
BOOK NEWS
(Readers are invited to submit reviews of the books noted in this
section. )
Other titles available from Balkan Heritage.
Last month we published some information on THE ORDERS 3 MEDALS AND
HISTORY OF GREECE , published by the Balkan Heritage, Engveg 7, 2960
Rungsted Kyst, Denmark. Other titles available from the publishers
include THE ORDERS 3 MEDALS AND HISTORY OF THE KINGDOM OF MONTENEGRO 3
a 96 page hard cover book with color and black and white illustrations
(US $19.50 plus US $2.55 for surface postage or US $5.70 for airmail
postage) and THE ORDERS 3 MEDALS AND HISTORY OF THE KINGDOM OF BULGARIA ,
a 175 page hard cover book with color and black and white illustrations
(US $21.95 plus US $3.80 for surface postage or US $9.95 for airmail
postage). The author of both of these books is Price Dimitri Roman-
off and the text is in the English language.
Information from Serge Huard, NLG
Two new publications from SNG Ventures released.
The most important work ever published on the coinage of Asia Minor,
the SNG von Aulock, has been reprinted.
The SYLLOGE NUMMORUM GRAECORUM (SNG) is a series of books cataloguing
complete major collections of Greek and Greek Imperial coins, all ful-
ly described and illustrated. The SNGs form a remarkable reference
took, particularly in the Greek Imperials, which are so sparsely de-
scribed elsewhere. The von Aulock collection of nearly 9,000 coins
was probably the greatest ever assembled from this area, which is es-
sentially modern Turkey. The SNG von Aulock contains all these coins,
each illustrated in 304 excellent plates and described in detail to
include metal, weight, obverse and reverse, and inscriptions. It was
originally published in Berlin, in German, from 1957 to 1967 in a
total of eighteen cardbound volumes. It was long out of print and
available only on rare occasions at book auctions, where it sold for
around $3,000.
This new reprint is even better that the high quality reprint of the
SNG Copenhagen, the Royal Danish Collection. It is probably the best
numismatic reprint every produced. The original SNG von Aulock plates,
done by the collotype process, have been reproduced by a remarkable
new scanning device that produces photographic plates which rival the
original in clarity. The new edition is beautifully hardbound in four
volumes with gold-foil stamping. It is an unmatched, major, reference
work on the coins of Asia Minor. Anyone with an interest in this area
should certainly own this important set of books. The descriptions
include the complete Greek inscriptions. Every coin is illustrated
on the facing page. Now available for immediate shipment the SNG von
Aulock is $595 plus $10 shipping.
There is also an index of types, inscriptions, etc. which is a valu-
able supplement to the SNG von Aulock. It has 268 pages including
146
two pull-out maps plus twelve double pull-out tables. This index is
valuable far beyond the von Aulock Collection because it tells which
emperor's coins were struck in each mint, and if they are not in von
Aulock, it tells where they are published. All of the last 100 remain-
ing original, hardbound indexes are in stock for immediate shipment,
while they last, at $95, each plus $3 shipping.
The author, Hans Sylvius von Aulock was born in 1895 and died in an
automobile accident in 1980. His career with various German govern-
ment agencies and corporations in Turkey spanned many years. It was
there that he began buying the ancient coins excavated locally. He
soon was in position to have his pick of virtually all the coin finds
in the country. This enabled him to form what was probably the best
collection of the coins of this area ever assembled.
The second publication released by SNG Ventures is the first volume
of the SNG series for Switzerland, containing the Cilician coin col-
lection of Eduardo Levante.
The Levante collection consists of 1,861 coins from ancient Cilicia,
which was an important kingdom on what is now the southern coast of
Turkey. In ancient times many trade routes crossed this area and
the coins from its cities such as Tarsos, Nagidos, Kelendaris, and
Soloi Pompeiopolis were used in commerce throughout the Greek world.
Hence they now form an important part of the Greek series for collec-
ors .
The Cilician coinage started with Persian satraps in the fifth cent-
ury B.C. and continued through the Greek and Roman periods until 300
A.D. Each of the coins is described in detail, in English, and illus-
trated on the opposite pages in 125 excellent plates. Many of the
coins illustrated here were not published previously. There are in-
dexes to places, types, kings, dynasts, rulers, satraps, Roman emper-
ors, magistrates, countermarks, symbols, and inscription, plus an
extensive bibliography, a glossary, and a map. It is arranged in
geographical order, listing the minting cities from west to east.
Printed in the new, smaller, SNG format (22 x 30 cm), this new work
is beati fully bound in maroon buckram with gold stamping. The cata-
loguing was by Eduardo Levante, assisted by Peter Weiss, and it was
edited by Italo Vecchi . It is dedicated to Hans von Aulock. The
publisher, Swiss Credit Bank of Berne, printed only 500 copies. The
prices is $225 plus $5 for shipping.
Orders for any of the SNG publications listed here should be sent to
SNG Ventures, P. 0. Box 3007, Daytona Beach, Florida 32018 or tele-
phone 904 255-6212 or 303 226-5704.
(Reviewers : Anyone seriously wonting to review these references for
the NI BULLETIN can make arrangements with SNG Ventures to see the
publications at a nearby dealer who has them or they will ship them
postapid with return postage. If there were sent for review it would
have to be with the agreement that they would be returned with thirty
days of receipt.)
Information from Thomas P. McKenna
147
BOOK REVIEWS
OL£ER , CUNEYT. OTTOMAN COINAGE WRING TEE REIGNS OF SULTAN MURAD V
AND SULTAN ABDULHAMID II. 143pp + 28pp English text supplement. 3
table, 12 mintage lists, 76 coin photographic illustrations. 6h x
9h ins., soft covers. (Istanbul, 1987.) $20.00 (postage 95<t) from
Numismata Orientalia, P. 0. Box 212, Tenafly, N.J. 07670.
It has been twenty years since Olcer (president of the Turkish Num-
ismatic Society) published his first book about the silver currency
coined in Istanbul during the reigns of the last six sultans. Since
then he has produced separate volumes on the coins of Abdul Mecid
and Abdul Aziz, and now this companion volume on coins of the two
sons of Abdul Mefid (the eleventh in the series). He intends to
complete the study and publication of all the coins of the period
of those six sultans by the publication next year of a volume of
the coins of Mehmed Resad and Mehmed Vahdeddin.
In this present work he documents superbly the coins of the two sul-
tans from the mints of Constantinople, Egypt and Tunis, including
the European mints where coins were struck for Egypt. Mint records
are presented, even 31 facsimile pages (reduced) have been added as
supporting evidence, a novel feature of his previous works, and of
great importance. Specimens of the metallic coins of all known
regnal years are referred to with their sources, collections (pri-
vate and public), sales catalogues (in which the author had full
confidence) and auction catalogues in which rare coins were noticed.
The authenticity of the existence of each coin is beyond doubt, and
the photographs of type specimens were taken by the late Dr. Walter
Husch who had plans to use them in a book on Ottoman coinage which
he partially completed. Obviously no drawings were found to be
necessary in this work.
The tables are exceptionally well done, and the classification of
rarities is easy to follow, although directed at the collector in
his own country, and are valid everywhere since the author has
traveled widely and is in constant touch with collectors all over
the world. Especially useful is the section on the ornamental gold
pieces (ziynet) known as "Monnaie-de-Luxe" re-introducted after the
23rd year of Abdul Hamid's reign.
For the Egyptian coinage he has drawn on the Ph.D disseration pre-
pared by Fuad Sultan who later became King of Egypt, and the studies
of Samuel Lachman and the tables he used from Hugo Hammerich (1905).
Collectors will find his discussion on the use of the title "El
Ghazi" on the coins of Abdul Hamid in his sixth regnal year and
earlier on the coins of Tunis, and the absence on the Constantinople
coins, even though the title appeared on ka'ime in 1294.
The inclusion of the tilla (gold coin) struck by Yakub Beg in the
name of Abdul Hamid as Caliph is noteworthy. He surmises that
tengas (silver coins) may have been struck too (although none have
been found), which could have been issued prior to his murder in
May 1876.
148
Mr. Olger, the dean of Ottoman ooin studies , has again written and
compiled as essential addition to his remarkable series.
Reviewed by Kenneth M. MacKenzie
THE SILVER INSTITUTE. MINE PRODUCTION OF SILVER IN 1985-1989. 8% x 1 1
ins., llpp, thick grey paper cover. $15.00 postpaid. The Silver
Institute, Suite 101, 1026 Sixteenth St. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036.
The mine production of silver for the year 1985 and the estimated pro-
duction for 1896, 1987, 1988 and 1989 are presented for 58 silver min-
ing countries on two pages.
A one page analysis shows the percentage of world mined silver pro-
duced by the world's top seven producing countries and lumped together
the remaining 51 silver producing countries, in million troy ounces.
The percent of world total mined silver production in 1985 is given
in the report as follows: Mexico (16.1%), Peru (13.2%), Soviet Union
(12.1%), Canada (10.3%), United States (9.2%), Australia (8.3%),
Poland (6.2%) and the remaining 51 silver producing countries (24.6%).
The 226 silver mining companies from the 58 countries who contributed
information to the report are listed by country in the last seven
pages of the report.
The report states that production of world silver mined in millions
of troy ounces was: 430.3 for 1985 and is estimated at 420.7 for
1986, 443.5 for 1987, 455.3 for 1988 and 462.7 for 1989.
Production from United States mines in 1985 is given as 39.4 million
troy ounces of silver. The 35 United States mining companies who con-
tributed data to the report estimate their silver production in mil-
lions of troy ounces as: 1986 (31.5), 1987 (41.5), 1988 (47.0) and
1989 (55.6).
The production in both Mexico and in the United States i s sufficient
to sustain these two countries silver bullion coin programs.
Reviewed by Jerome H. Remick.
SYDNEY B. VERNON. VERNON'S COLLECTORS' GUIDE TO ORDERS , MEDALS AND
DECORATIONS (with Valuations) . 447pp, softbound, illus. $24.95.
Available from BNR Press, 132 East Second St., Port Clinton, OH 43452.
This is a general purpose catalog and reference book which was aimed
at both general and specialized collectors. The book meets these
goals very well and should also be of interest to many other people
as well. The volume was published by the author and is devoid of
most of the errors to which many such projects are prone.
Vernon is very well qualified to undertake publication of such a ref-
erence book. He began collecting orders, medals, and decorations in
1963. He began dealing in this material in 1967 and has been one of
the most active dealers in this collecting area since then. He was a
149
history teacher in the New York City school system for 22 years.
The book is divided into an introduction and five chapters. The in-
troduction defines and limits the scope of the book which excludes
obscure items and countries which, in the author's experience, are
not popular among collectors. The Soviet block countries are excluded
with the exception of the Soviet Union herself. Vernon states that
post World War II issues for Germany are also excluded because of low
interest, but 25 pieces for the Federal Republic of Germany are in-
cluded in the listings.
Chapter I, a virtual essay on collecting orders, medals, and decor-
ations, is quite interesting by itself. A discussion about the de-
finitions of orders, medals and decorations is included. The discus-
sion about the various classes of orders is very interesting. Most
notably lacking from this chapter (although it could also have been
included elsewhere but was not) is a discussion of condition as it
relates to medals and the significance of condition to collectors.
Vernon's description of the resale value of orders, medals, and
decorations is the most candid which I have seen in any catalog for
numismatic material. He openly states that collectors can expect to
receive as little as 25% of retail value upon selling common material
to a dealer. Of course, substantially higher percentages are quoted
for scarce material.
Chapter II frankly treats copies, fakes, and reproductions . Based
upon his years of experience, Vernon offers advice on avoiding prob-
lems with fakes. The discussion of fakes of III Reich material con-
stitutes an article on the subject. Vernon concludes the chapter
with some advice which would be considered radical in many other
areas of collecting. He suggests that collectors should consider
buying a fake or reproduction under some circumstances which he de-
scribes.
Chapter III is a glossary of terms. Although the definitions are
brief, they are sufficient in most cases. A diagram of a typical
suspended medal with arrows pointing from the numismatic terms to
the respective parts (edge, fields, legends, etc.) would have been
appropriate. These terms were omitted altogether. The terms order,
medals, and decorations (which are discussed and defined in Chapter
I) are omitted from the glossary.
Chapter IV is a bibliography of 93 entries, which includes brief an-
notations. This section should be very useful for beginners as well
as specialists.
The meat of the book (423 of 443 pages) is, of course, the catalog
section, Chapter V. According to the scheme presented in the intro-
duction, 63 entries for countries or issuing authorities are included.
Two additional sections of material of demonstrated special interest
are included. These are the Boxer Rebellion and World War I victory
medals.
Each listing starts with a description of the country, including
comments about the popularity of collecting that country's medals and
about any special problems with counterfeits. These discussions are
brief but interesting; they range from only a few lines to several
150
pages for the larger countries.
The listings are short, but inclusion of descriptions would have at
least tripled the size of the book. Unfortunately, the descriptions,
which consist primarily of the name of the item, are not sufficient
to allow identification of the medal if the reader has no other in-
formation or the piece is not one of those which is illustrated.
Each entry is numbered in a manner similar to that which is used in
paper money and coin catalogs. This numbering is used without remark
of any kind by the author. It is the simplest and most straight-
forward type of numbering. Each country starts with the number 1;
numbers then advance by one, uninterrupted through the end of that
country's listings. No attempt is made a a hierarchical system of
numbering varieties (many of which are outside the scope of the book).
Most entries have a single price listed, although a few are simply
listed as rare (an explanation of these rare listings is included in
the introductory material). Pricing is always one of the most contro-
versial aspects of a catalog and this is where I found the greatest
fault. I am not qualified to pass judgment on the prices reported,
but those for the few areas where I have experience seem appropriate.
The criticism is in the way that the prices are presented. In the in-
troduction the author states that the prices are for the most recent
and common varieties of a given listing. He also states that the prices
are for pieces in VF or EF condition, without defining these abbrevi-
ations or discussing their meanings. This is not a fatal flaw because
the pieces which most neophyte readers encounter will fall within the
conditions listed and are likely to be of the more common type material.
However, it is an oversight which should be corrected in any subsequent
editions .
Some listings are followed by photographs of selected items from that
country's listings. The orders, medals, and decorations are cluster-
ed together in the photographs, from one to six per page; they are
identified by catalog number. Most of the illustrations are reduced
by approxiamtely 40%. The quality of the photographs is good enough
for the intended purpose. By my count, 461 examples are illustrated
on 107 pages for 24 country listings and both of the special listings.
I had a very enjoyable day studying the Vernon catalog. I expect to
use it frequently in the future for reference and for browsing. Ad-
vanced collectors with extensive libraries will probably not find the
book particularly useful, but I recommend the book highly for other
collectors of military awards. The book will also be of interest to
collectors of related coins, paper money, uniforms and the like. It
is highly recommended for public libraries which should have general
reference of this type available.
Reviewed by Fred Schwan
*********************************************************************
THERESIENSTADT HANUKKA: The Israeli Government reports the minting
of the HE 5745 Hanukka of 1984 had a mintage as follows:
Silver Proof Version -- 10,011 Silver BU Version — 11,004
151
MEMBER NOTICE PAGE
Kenneth W. West, ARAMCO, Box No, 486 , Abqaiq 31 31 1 , SAUDI ARABIA:
Anyone interested in pictures oTTnHTan coins on the' Apple Macintosh
please contact me. (Ed. See examples of this in Mr. West's article
in this issue.)
B. F. Brekke, Box 304, Chapala, Jal . MEXICO: Specialized collector of
Russian copper coins 1700-1917 is interested in receiving list or
auction catalogues containing larger groups or especially rare specimens.
Paul Waichulaitis, P. 0. Box 213, Waupaca, WI 54981: WANTED - German
States minors for research. Looking for overdates and other common
errors on the most common pieces. Willing to buy at up to 40 to 50%
of catalog, or will trade other world coins if I have them available.
Please write if you think you may have anything of interest.
J. Alma Ott, P. 0. Box 741, Provo, Utah 84603-0741: Needed for com-
pletion of my book - good black and white photographs of the following
coins, all from Argentina. La Rioja - Chilecito cob with Rioxa;
Chilecito cob without Rioxa; any one Chilecito milled; from Rosas:
Federal Issue bust; Unitarius Issue with Famatina. Santiago Del Estero
- Any single coin. Cordoba - 1 Real PNP with Provincial Arms. Mendoza
- Any cob with "FI DELI DAD"; any one milled. Entre Rios - 1867 1/2 real.
Will pay reasonable costs and/or include your donation in photo credits
page - name your terms. Thanks.
ATTRIBUTION SERVICE: The NI Attribution Committee will accept from NI
members only, any numismatic items, whether paper, metal, or whatever,
for attribution. We must limit the items to a TOTAL OF SIX (6) MAXI-
MUM. The cost is just advance payment of return postage, including
sufficient for insurance or registration, if desired. Send to NI
Attribtuion Committee, P. 0. Box 2057, Saugatuck Station, Westport,
Conn. 06880, USA.
*********************************************************************
"LAETITIA TEMP0RVM"
Rare coins were issued upon the return from the East of the imperial
family of Septimius Severus in A.D. 198. The reverse of these coins
shows a galley sailing left with a variety of anim-
als below and four quadrigae in the background.
The legend is "LAETITIA TEMP0RVM" . This all refers
to the spectacle exhibited by Severus in the Flav-
ian Amphitheater (Colosseum). A ship was so con-
structed there so that one hundred-fifty wild
beasts could be recieved into it at once and then
be released at the same time when the sides fell
off. These spectacles were called "These Joyful
Days" by the Roman populace.
(Submitted by R. R. Kutcher)
152
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